A Brittle New Path
by mandaree1
Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a ShadowClan warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

 **ShadowClan alliances ahead;**

 **Leader ; Crowstar- black tom**

 **Deputy ; Firenose- ginger tom with green eyes.**

 **Warriors ;**

 **Bloodclaw- Black tom with blue eyes, covered with scars.**

 **Toothsnag- white tom with black spots, jagged bottom right tooth that sticks out of mouth.**

 **Queens;**

 **Unknown she-cat; Brittlekit (short and stocky gray tom), Bigkit (black and gray she-cat)**

 **Moltedwing; Ratkit (white she-cat with black paws)**

 **Elders;**

 **Coldwind- black tom with icy blue eyes.**

 **Moltedwing- black she-cat with brown stripes and a white muzzle**

 **...**

Brittlekit had heard the story many times before. How his sister, Bigkit, had come first, followed immediately after him. His mother had bared her teeth at the sight of him, shocked by his small and broad stature.

"He looks so... _brittle._ " She'd said. "Especially next to his sister."

Not long after that they were both given to Moltedwing, an elder who'd recently given birth to Ratkit, and their mother left them. Brittlekit had never been told her name; she'd asked that no one ever mention it again. He didn't even know if she was ShadowClan or not.

 _No!_ He shook the thought away. _I'm a ShadowClan cat, through and through_.

"Here you go, Coldwind." He set down a vole, pleased he'd been able to carry it all the way here from the fresh-kill pile, despite it being around his size. "Your favorite."

"Hmph." The old tom sniffed. He'd always been a cranky one. "Don't act like you were the one who caught it, you cheeky kit."

"Hush." Moltedwing purred. "Thank you, Brittlekit."

He blinked at her owlishly. "Want me to check you for ticks?"

"Brittlekit, you're not a 'paw!" She chided him playfully, planting a lick between his ears. "Why don't you go play with the other kits?"

"But I want to take care of you!" He replied. "It makes me feel good, and I like the stories you tell."

"You'll take care of us once you're in training." The elder gently nudged him into the clearing. "Go have some fun."

Brittlekit shook his pelt out. He immediately felt out of place. He'd always preferred cleaning nests and entertaining the elders over talking to the warriors and sharpening his claws. He hoped that would change as he got older; he knew his Clanmates would see it as a fear of fighting, and he'd hate to be thought of as a coward.

He felt teeth tug on his ear. Bigkit- so much bigger than him, even though she was only a few moments older- stared at him brightly. "About time! Wanna play moss ball?"

"I guess." He shrugged self-consciously, fully aware of the fact that he wasn't nearly as interested in playing as his sister. "As long as we don't get in anyone's way."

Bigkit playfully pounced on him. "Honestly, Brittlekit! You worry too much."

Every cat seemed to think that. He twitched his whiskers, eyes widening. "I forgot to get Moltedwing a piece of prey!" He scrambled out of his sister's grip and pushing himself to his paws, scampering across the clearing. "Start without me!"

Ratkit shook her head. She'd been patiently watching them rough house. "Silly Brittlekit." She murmured. "He takes care of everybody but himself."

Brittlekit raced towards the fresh-kill pile, heart thudding in his chest. _I hope Moltedwing won't be too mad at me for forgetting! She was gonna tell me an awesome story about a fox later!_

" _Brittlekit_!?"

He stopped, ears pricked. The sound was coming from the warrior's den _Shouldn't they all be patroling and hunting by now?_ He hesitantly crept forward.

"Of all the kits- why Brittlekit? He doesn't have a dangerous bone in his body!"

 _Bloodclaw._ He'd never really gotten to talk to the warrior before, but he knew his signature angry snarl. The cat didn't have patience for anyone or anything.

"That's exactly why." The other voice insisted. Brittlekit easily recognized the voice of Crowstar's deputy, Firenose. "He needs to learn to tap into his more feral instincts."

"He's soft." Bloodclaw snapped. He sounded disgusted by the mere thought of him. "He's practically a kittypet!"

"Don't say that!" Firenose hissed. "We both know it's more complicated than mere softness."

There was a long pause. Bloodclaw spoke. "You're sure... Ratkit or Bigkit-"

"No." Firenose answered gently. "He needs someone who'll teach him how to sharpen his claws. Who better than you?"

 _Bloodclaw's gonna be my mentor!_ He thought, stumbling away, eyes unfocused. _But I don't wanna be a fighter. Can't I just stay a kit, instead?_

* * *

"Hey, Bigkit."

Bigkit moaned and rolled over, kicking him in the face with her back paw. Brittlekit pulled himself closer, so they were nose to nose.

"Bigkit?"

She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and glared at him. "What?"

"I'm useful, right?" Bloodclaw and Firenose's words still rang in his ears. "I'm not soft, am I?"

"You're a real terror to ticks and fleas, alright." She purred, stretching.

Brittlekit felt a pang in his belly. "I'm still a warrior, though, right?"

Bigkit sat up, a surprisingly amount of clarity in her eyes. "No, Brittlekit, you're not. You're a lover."

"But I need to be a warrior!" He squeaked. "I'll never be of any use to ShadowClan if I'm not a warrior!"

"Not useful?" Moltedwing asked. They both jumped, unaware she was awake. "My kit, you're more useful then you know. I can't remember a time I was so well cared for. Warriors scorn the idea of taking care of elders once they receive their name; you, a kit, jump at the chance. Any Clan would be proud to have a cat like you."

She tugged the three kits closer, wrapping her tail around them. "Now, get some sleep."

Brittlekit laid his head on his paws, wide awake. _You may think so, but Bloodclaw doesn't, and he's going to be my mentor._

 **Author's Note: This story is gonna shoot back and forth from the past to the present; everything having to do with Brittle-whatever is the past. =)**

 **Basically a backstory for one of my characters from 'Little Pawsteps And Lion Roars', but don't worry. This won't draw on any of the other story, as it's a prequel. Also, it won't affect your viewing of the story (other than totally spoiling his warrior names), as he's not a main character.**

 **Don't like don't read! No flames! Review!**

 **-Mandaree1**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

 **ThunderClan and WindClan allegiances ahead!;**

 **ThunderClan ;**

 **Leader ; Bramblestar- brown tom**

 **Deputy ; Bravetruth- black and brown mottled tom**

 **Medicine Cat ; Fallenleaf- blue-striped she-cat, named by Jayfeather to 'honor old friends.'**

 **Warriors ;**

 **Longwhisker- white and black mottled tom**

 **Fernwillow- mottled she-cat with the beginnings of a gray muzzle**

 **Queens ;**

 **Fernwillow; Owlkit- black and brown tom with white spots around his eyes.**

 **Unknown she-cat; Windkit- light brown she-cat with gray stripes.**

 **Brightsky (yellow she-cat with long legs and green eyes); Littlekit- yellow she-cat with short legs and green eyes.**

 **...**

 **WindClan;**

 **Leader ; Harestar- light brown tom**

 **Deputy ; Skywing- white she-cat with blue eyes.**

 **Medicine Cat ; Nightsky- black and white she-cat. Sister to Skywing.**

 **Warriors ;**

 **Swampnose- brown and black mottled tom**

 **Screechnight- black she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Bluecloud- Blue she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Talljump- white and black striped tom.**

 **Foxwhisker- ginger tom with green eyes.**

 **Queens ;**

 **Stareye- brown she-cat.**

 **Roseclaw- ginger she-cat with blue eyes and a bushy tail.**

 **...**

 **badguhrie \- Thanks! Bigkit and Brittlekit were pals until the very end. =)**

 **Irishgriffin \- Thanks!**

 **...**

Waking up with a small snore, Ollie got to his paws and glanced around, heart sinking at the semi-familiar sight of his Twoleg den. The kittypet collar around his neck shifted uncomfortably, causing him to scratch at it with a hind leg.

 _Those days are in the past,_ he told himself firmly. _You're a kittypet now. No Clan would want a pudgy little thing like you_.

Even still, the forest seemed to call for him, filling his dreams with the familiar sights and smells of ShadowClan. Homesickness reared its ugly head, but Ollie calmly began to chew through his bowl of pellets rather than do anything. _I'll get over it_.

 _I'll eat half of this, and give the rest to my Twoleg. He must get hungry, right?_ He decided, pushing the half-full bowl aside. He cleaned his whiskers. _Maybe I'll catch him a bird, while I'm at it_ , he thought with a snort. He'd never been a good hunter.

Taking advantage of the flap on the door, Ollie reset his own markers and walked the inside edge of his small territory, feeling oddly hemmed in by the white fences surrounding the area.

 _It's not like Twolegs defend their borders, anyway_. He sniffed. _They should just get rid of those silly things_.

He tried to catch a squirrel, but it scrambled away into Clan territory. Part of him was tempted to chase after it- he knew a queen that was going to need the extra fattening up- but respect for the warrior code made him leave it.

 _I may not be a real warrior, but that doesn't mean I have to be ignorant_.

He opened his jaws to taste the air, catching the familiar scents of WindClan and RiverClan nearby, as well as...

As well as...

"Is that _ThunderClan_ I smell?"

Ollie blinked. ThunderClan may border WindClan, but the Twolegplace was too far off for him to smell their scent markers, save for a stray breeze or the Gathering. Besides, this was much too weak to be a patrol of cats.

A screech of rage sounded nearby. Ollie's neck fur stood on end.

Without thinking, he raced towards it, ignoring the tug of wind on his collar (he hated running with that silly thing on). He couldn't fight well, but he could be of some use, holding cobwebs and cleaning ears to keep injured cats calm for the medicine cats. If _they'll even let me help,_ he reminded himself grimly.

He stumbled upon a mottled tabby she-cat facing off against two WindClan cats, one of which looked to be just an apprentice. Her steps were staggered, but she held herself with pride, claws outstretched, before finally falling to the grass with a dull thump after a particularly harsh blow to the head.

"Leave her alone!" He burst out of the underbrush, pulling the apprentice off of her bodily by the scruff. "Can't you see she's injured?"

"Stay out of this, kittypet!" The other one hissed, eyes narrowed. "You're too soft to be much of a threat. Go home to your Twolegs!"

Ollie's claws slithered out. "I'm not much of a fighter." He admitted, taking notice of just how taken aback the two cats were by his admission. "But I'll be more than happy to take you on!" _I'd rather not, though; fighting is unnecessary._

The first one snorted. "Take her back to your precious Twolegs. We've got bigger prey to catch."

"But, Screechnight-" The second one tried to argue.

"Focus, rabbit-brain!" She hissed in reply. "We've got to get back to the battle patrol. Let the kittypet have her."

The apprentice fixed him a fierce glare. "Your scent better be stale by the time we get back, slop-eater." He grunted finally. "Or we'll turn you into crow-food."

Ollie's head was spinning. _Battle patrol? What is going_ on _here?_ He prayed he hadn't done something too rash. The she-cat was unconscious, sure, and the WindClan cats would've shredded her, but who's to say she wasn't a rogue who'd just cut through ThunderClan territory? Or a murderer? Maybe they'd had a good reason for chasing her down, and it'd just become his problem.

Tiny teeth pricked his back leg. Ollie glanced over his shoulder. A small brown and black kit with huge white spots over his eyes was hissing at his pitifully, tiny claws extended.

"Leave her alone, you fox-heart!"

Concern immediately wrestled his fear to the dust. _She was just trying to protect a kit!_ He dropped to the grass and tilted his chin up, showing off his vulnerable neck, as well as the collar fastened to it. "Don't worry. I'm harmless, see? I'm a kittypet."

The anger faded, replaced with curiosity. The kit wriggled onto Ollie's front paws to take a sniff at the unfamiliar object. "Is that what a kittypet collar looks like?"

Ollie eyed him. He was big- around five or so moons old. He'd be an apprentice soon, StarClan willing. "Yes. I'm lucky, though; my owners took the little bell off before they put it on me."

He cocked his head to the side. "What's a bell?"

"It's a hard little ball that makes noise. Twolegs use them so they know where their kittypets are." He stood back up. Slowly, so as to not start startle the kit. "I'm Ollie. What's your name?"

All of the kit's suspicions had disappeared under the kittypet's friendly demeanor. "I'm Owlkit." He glanced at the fallen she-cat. "Is Fernwillow gonna be okay?"

"She'll be fine." He wouldn't have wasted this much time if he thought it was life threatening. "I know of a place where she can hide and rest." He glanced around. "Are there... any others, with you?"

Owlkit's eyes darkened with suspicion and fear once again. "You're not gonna give her to a Twoleg, are you?"

"No." He shook his head. "I promise I won't. She just needs some rest."

Owlkit slowly dipped his head. "Okay."

Ollie pulled the fallen she-cat onto his back, suddenly grateful for his broad shoulders. He may not be very big, but he was far from _brittle_.

 _Don't think about that_ , he chided himself. _It's in the past. This is between WindClan and ThunderClan_.

"Hey, Ollie?" Owlkit popped out of the bushes, flanked by a smaller brown she-cat holding a newborn milky yellow kit by its scruff. "Can they come too?"

"Of course." He nodded, feeling a spark of fear in his chest. _That one kit is too young to be part of the older kit's litter; are they all from different queens? Where are they, if that's the case?_ "You all can come."

The little brown kit blinked at him shyly. "H-Hi. I'm Windkit." She lifted the yellow kit pointedly, mumbling around her scruff. "And this is Littlekit."

"Nice to meet you, Windkit. Littlekit." He guided them towards the Twolegplace with his tail hovering around them like a barrier from prying eyes. "I'm Ollie."

Littlekit stared at him owlishly. "What's wrong with Fernwillow?"

"She's unconscious, so I thought I'd give her a badger ride." He grunted. "I'm taking her to my den to rest."

Owlkit squeaked in alarm. "You promised no Twolegs!"

Ollie purred. "I wasn't lying. My den has a room built into the ground. It's cold and damp, but my Twolegs never go down there."

He led them through the flap and down the stairs, mildly amused by the way the kits ooh'ed and aww'ed over the things the Twolegs had scattered about the den.

"Everything smells funny." Owlkit mumbled, tail sticking out straight and bristled.

"It's better down in the under-den." He agreed.

Setting Fernwillow down in the corner of the dark room, Ollie leapt onto the small half-window at the top and pushed it open, letting the scent of fresh air flow into the room.

Windkit bounced on her paws. "The ground is _cold_!"

He dipped his head in agreement, but kept his paws firmly planted on the dark concrete as he walked about the room. "I'll be right back."

Trailing back into the main part of the den, Ollie grabbed the edge of his nest in his teeth and began to drag it down the stairs. It wasn't moss, but it'd do.

Grabbing Fernwillow by the scruff, he gently curled her up into the plush nest, giving her a quick cleaning. None of her scratches were deep enough to get infected, but nevertheless he made a reminder to grab some cobwebs later.

The kits climbed on, carefully curling up next to the warrior. Ollie risked a look at Littlekit. She wasn't nearly old enough to eat prey yet.

"Is Fernwillow your mother?" He asked hopefully.

Owlkit wrinkled his nose. "She's _my_ mother. Littlekit's mother stayed behind to fight WindClan."

 _He's almost an apprentice; her milk is probably gone by now._ He blinked, suddenly remembering the queen two houses down. _Splotches would never leave a kit to starve, not even a Clan kit._

"Take care of her." He ordered, climbing out the small window. "I'm going to get you something to eat."

 **Author's Note: Look, it's present day Brittlekit! Told you it'd flip back and forth. =)**

 **If you've read 'Little Pawsteps And Lion Roars', you probably recognize Owlkit, Windkit, and Littlekit. As well as Fernwillow.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior Series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

Ollie had never claimed to be on good terms with the many kittypets in the Twolegplace. He knew with harsh certainty that his only friends were his Twoleg and Splotches. In a sense, _only_ Splotches, as his Twoleg was busy doing Twoleg things and barely spoke to him more than once a day, when he was handing him a bowl of slop to eat.

Much like the Clans abhorred kittypets, house cats were horrified by the mere mention of forest cats. They were stubborn, prideful, and brutish- a diagnosis Ollie personally understood, and perhaps even agreed with- and a cat should feel honored to be chosen by a Twoleg as their companion, not scratch and bite at them unnecessarily. (That part, not so much.)

Even still, Ollie remembered the days of being a proud ShadowClan apprentice with longing, and made no excuse or attempts to hide it. The days of Brittlepaw, Bigpaw, and Ratpaw would always hold a dear place in his heart, despite how hard they'd been for him.

Splotches, unlike the other house cats, had proven to have a completely different attitude from the others. She held herself high, with a natural sense of honor and pride. Deep down, he knew the she-cat would have made a far better warrior than him.

 _Never mind all that_. He thought, sitting on the fence outside of her Twoleg den. _It's in the past now_.

Taking a deep breath, Ollie let out an ear-splitting yowl, unwilling to disrupt the markers the kittypet had set. She'd taken up the idea of making her den a territory all her own not long ago, and defended it viciously.

The door flap shook, signaling Splotches's arrival. The white she-cat had spots of black on the tip of her tail, back, right eye, and covering her left ear; hence her name. He was immediately reminded of Ratkit; later given the proud name of Ratbite.

 _Maybe they're distantly related._ He thought with a shrug. The idea of a warrior with kittypet blood didn't bother him like it did other cats. _Moltedwing never did mention a father._

"Ollie!" Splotches cried, jumping up on the fence. She purred and nuzzled him. "It's so good to see you. Hungry?"

"No, but thank you." He returned the gesture, taking note of her belly, plump with kits. He'd been dubious at first when she'd announced her kitting; apparently the vet had given her the small round stones she recognized from an earlier litter, but she'd been so _small_ at the time. Now he believed her.

 _She'll be a good mother_ , he thought, whiskers twitching. _Any cat would be lucky to have her for a mate_.

Splotches eyed him. "I know that look."

Ollie startled. "What look?"

"That wild gleam in your eyes. You had it back when I first met you. What happened?"

Never one to sugarcoat things, Ollie briefly filled her in about his trip to WindClan territory and the injured warrior in his under-den.

"One of the kits needs milk." He finished. "I had to at least ask-"

"Show me." She demanded. Ollie blinked at her.

"You'll help?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

He shuffled his paws. "Well, they're Clan kits."

"Ollie, look around you. This is _our_ territory. I have nothing to fear." She nudged her head towards the brick walls of the Twolegplace. "Besides, they're _kits_. Who cares if they're Clanborn or not?"

 _This isn't_ my _territory._ He thought somberly. _This place will never really be home_.

"Okay, I'll take you-"

"Wait." Splotches jumped down and disappeared into some bushes, reappearing with a mouse in her jaws. "In case someone _else_ gets hungry."

Ollie purred as she leapt back onto the fence. "I wish I was half the hunter you are."

She shrugged, but he saw the pride glowing in her eyes. "You just didn't have a good mentor, is all."

He bit his tongue. Bloodclaw had always been more interested in battle training over hunting techniques, so she wasn't wrong.

Ollie crawled back in through the half-window, bracing it open so Splotches could more easily get inside.

"Here they are." He nodded to the wide-eyed kits, curled up against the resting she-cat's side. "I'll be right back."

He padded upstairs and grabbed a Twoleg pelt, pulling it down the steps after him so the house cat had a place to rest off of the cold ground.

"Here you go." He stretched it out with a careful paw. "It's not much, but my nest is already taken."

"Thank you." Splotches politely laid down. While Windkit and Owlkit shared the piece of prey, Littlekit curled up against the she-cat's belly.

"No, thank _you_. I owe you a lot for this."

Owlkit wrinkled his nose. "But she's a kittypet! You don't have to thank her!"

"We're _both_ kittypets." He purred, flicking his ear with his tail. "And that doesn't mean I can't be thankful to her."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know about the warrior code!" He puffed out his small chest. "I bet you do, though! I can tell."

Ollie didn't try to deny it. "She may not have known about the _warrior_ code all her life, but Splotches is the most honorable cat I've ever met."

Splotches twitched her tail, giving him a warning look about defending her when she could do it herself. "I know all about the warrior code now, though. Ollie told me." He'd also taught her about StarClan, but they didn't bring up her more 'radical' beliefs around other cats. It was just easier that way.

"Oh." He sniffed. "I guess you're okay, then."

"Well, _I'm_ thankful." Windkit broke in, glaring at the tom. "Thank you, Splotches."

He leapt to the half-window once again. "I'll go get us some more prey. Kits, be good while I'm gone."

"Yes, Ollie." They all mumbled.

"Thank you." He purred. "Splotches will take care of you, I promise."

With that, he exited once again.

 **Author's Note: Ollie and Splotches, given the time and enough taming on Ollie's end, would've been an adorable couple.**

 **More of a filler chapter than anything else, but eh.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

 **Claudaujay \- Thanks! He's just born that way. =)**

 **...**

Ollie returned with a bird in his jaws and a squirrel draped across his shoulders. He'd been gone awhile now, hence the prey, and the sun was beginning to set on the horizon.

All in all, a good hunt for a cat of his skills, albeit time-consuming.

He nudged his nose under the half-window, dropping the bird by his paws. "Splotches?"

"Ollie!" She cried. Ollie heard a low hissing. Alarmed, he leapt down, confronted by the sight of Fernwillow, teeth bared, snarling at the kittypet, Owlkit and Windkit tucked behind her paws protectively.

"Give her back!" Fernwillow demanded. Ollie noticed Littlekit frantically cowering behind Splotches's paws.

 _Oh no..._ "Calm down!" He pleased. "It's okay."

Windkit and Owlkit scampered over to him, calling his name. Fernwillow jolted with shock and horror. "Kits, no! Come back here!"

"It's okay." He repeated softly, smiling as the kits purred and nuzzled his legs to show the warrior he was safe. "I brought you here. You're safe."

Fernwillow glared at him suspiciously. "But you're a kittypet."

"A kittypet who stared down a WindClan warrior and an apprentice to rescue you." He reminded her.

She turned a shocked eye to the squirming kits. "You told him about WindClan?"

"We did not!" Windkit wailed. "Ollie just knew, that's all!"

"Who wants to talk about those rabbit-brains, anyway?" Owlkit snorted. Windkit cuffed his ear.

"Hey! _I'm_ a rabbit-brain!" She puffed out her chest. "That's why I'm _Wind_ kit."

"By blood, maybe." He scoffed. "But your parents didn't want you, so they're not worth it. You're ThunderClan, just like me!"

 _A WindClan kit,_ given _to ThunderClan?_ He thought, sorrow piercing his heart like a thorn. _Her parents must've been adamant, then. Poor little scrap._

Ollie glanced at Fernwillow somberly. The she-cat's eyes flickered with suspicion and maybe a bit of respect. "How do you know what WindClan is, then?" She asked.

"Simple. The Twolegplace borders their territory." Splotches broke in with a glare. "We don't have fluff for brains."

Ollie blinked at her, surprised. Splotches knew all about his self-imposed exile from ShadowClan. The kittypet's eyes were dark with hostility, and suddenly it occurred to him that she might hold a grudge against the Clans in his defense. It would explain why she'd never joined (Ollie had personally recommended RiverClan to her), despite being so suited to that way of life.

 _She shouldn't blame them_ , he thought. _It's not their fault. Some cats just aren't meant to be warriors_.

Ollie gently set the bird by her paws. "Here. This is for you."

Fernwillow sniffed the prey before hesitantly lying down to eat.

"I'm Ollie." He dipped his head. "And this is Splotches."

She twitched her tail to show she'd heard. "Kittypet names are all so... short. I'm Fernwillow. I'm guessing you already know the kits."

Ollie didn't bother to inform her that they already knew her name. "Is there trouble in the Clans?"

She didn't stop eating. "Nothing a kittypet would need to know about."

He bowed his head respectfully, but Splotches hissed. "We _kittypets_ are the reason you can be safe and warm right now, not to mention have a full belly. We deserve some answers."

"Splotches..." He warned, but she didn't back down.

Fernwillow eyed them both a long minute before nodding. "Perhaps you're right." She murmured. "WindClan's leader- Harestar- has been making a show of strength. He's been attacking patrols left and right. He managed to drive ThunderClan out of camp, but it won't last. We'll get our land back soon enough. I accidentally got separated from the group."

The warrior gave them a long, searching look, as though checking to make sure they weren't lost. If she was surprised by their knowledge of battle, she didn't show it.

"I'll show you the way out of the Twolegplace once you've rested a bit." Ollie said finally. "You've got a long walk ahead of you if you want to avoid wandering into WindClan territory."

Fernwillow dipped her head. "These are the only kits we have. ThunderClan can't afford to lose them."

He slowly blinked at her. "They can stay here, if you want."

She bristled. "These kits aren't _kittypets_."

"They don't have to be. They can stay down here, out of sight. My Twoleg doesn't come down here. I'll bring them food, and Splotches can give Littlekit milk." He looked to the she-cat, who nodded.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She replied bluntly.

"What harm could we do?" He asked a question of his own. "We're kittypets."

Fernwillow's eyes narrowed.

"Ollie wouldn't hurt us!" Windkit squeaked.

"Yea, Ollie is awesome!" Owlkit crowed. "He'll take care of us!"

The warrior studied them for a long moment before slowly nodding her head. "Alright. It's not like I have much of a choice."

* * *

"Thank you, Ollie." Fernwillow breathed a sigh of relief as the forest came into sight. "I've missed the fresh air."

 _I know the feeling._ "The kits are in good paws, I promise."

"They're good kits." She purred. "Especially Windkit. She tries so hard."

"Is she really WindClan by birth?" He asked hesitantly. Fernwillow nodded.

"A WindClan queen willingly giving their kit over to another Clan; it's never happened before. She's had to be very brave."

He dipped his head, knowing full well that there wasn't anything he could say.

"Goodbye." She called, jumping off the fence to the grass below.

"May StarClan light your path." He replied. Ollie and Fernwillow both freeze.

 _Mouse-brain!_ , he chided himself. _Kittypets don't know about StarClan!_

Fernwillow stared at him, a million questions burning in her eyes. Her look was equal parts curiosity and suspicion.

She slowly dipped her head. "And yours."

Without another word, she turned and raced away.

 **Author's Note: Ollie's body type may be small, but it's obvious he's not your average kittypet. He knows about StarClan and WindClan, and he knows how to hunt. Fernwillow had suspected from the beginning that he was a retired Clan cat, but now she has proof.**

 **Brittlekit and Bigkit will be making another appearance in, say, three/four chapters.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

 **BrightMind \- You have a point!**

 **It wouldn't make sense for him to join a different Clan than ThunderClan at this point, would it? Besides, his exile may be self-imposed, but most of the ShadowClan cats were happy to see him go. He's just made enemies in WindClan, and he's deathly afraid of RiverClan.**

 **He has connections in ThunderClan now. Friends.**

 **...**

Littlekit crawled onto his shoulders, squealing with delight. "Badger ride, Ollie! Badger ride!"

"Alright." He rumbled, standing up. He stumbled around the den with big, clunky strides, growling like a badger ready to rip the fur off any cat who dared come near its den. Littlekit cheered in his ear.

Ollie felt a sense of accomplishment. Most cats felt mighty when they caught a good piece of prey or fought off an invading patrol; to him, there was nothing more amazing than making a kit smile.

 _I should've been a she-cat_ , he thought, whiskers twitching. _I'd have been a good queen. I could've lived in the nursery, too, if I wanted_.

"Careful, Littlekit." Windkit called. "You'll fall _off_ the badger if you don't have a good enough grip."

"Nu-uh!" She cried, but Ollie felt tiny claws sink into his shoulders. "I could lay down, he's so big!"

"You're just tiny." Owlkit sniffed. "It's no wonder Brightsky named you Littlekit."

"Shut up!" The yellow kit bounded off his shoulders, racing across the den to pounce on the tom.

"Hey!" He sat up, knocking her over. "You can't beat me! I'm almost an apprentice!"

"'Almost' doesn't mean you are!" She retorted, flinging herself at Owlkit's tail.

Windkit giggled, watching the two kits scuffle with wide eyes.

"Just you watch." Owlkit pouted, licking a paw. Littlekit's chest was puffed out proudly, the older kit's tail scuffed and dirtied. "Soon we'll be Owlpaw and Windpaw, and you'll be stuck as plain old Littlekit."

She cocked her head to the side. "Will Ollie be Olliepaw?"

"Of course not." Owlkit's nose wrinkled. "Ollie's a kittypet, fluff for brains."

"I know that!" She defended, voice quieting. "I just... thought he was coming home with us."

Silence rang through the Under-den. Ollie licked his chest fur awkwardly. "Alright, kits. It's late."

They crawled into his nest without complaint. The kittypet shook his pelt out before laying on the ground beside them, tail twitching.

"Ollie?" Littlekit whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Were you ever a Clan cat?"

What was the point in lying now? "Yes."

"I knew it!" She cried triumphantly.

"What Clan were you from? Was it WindClan?" Windkit's eyes stretched wide. "Did you know my mother?"

"Of course he does." Owlkit rolled his eyes stubbornly. "We all know Fernwillow."

"I was born in ShadowClan, little one." Ollie purred gently. "I'd never met a WindClan cat before I saved Fernwillow."

"But, didn't you go to-" Owlkit started to say.

"So you _were_ Olliepaw!" Littlekit broke in excitedly.

"That's his _kittypet_ name, Littlekit." Windkit purred. "He had a perfectly normal Clan name when he was a 'paw. Right?"

"Right." He rumbled. "I was Brittlepaw."

" _Brittle_ paw?" She tilted her head to the side. "What kind of name is that"

"A name of the past." He put his head on his paws and closed his eyes. "Get some sleep, kits."

* * *

It took Fernwillow less than half a moon to come for the kits. Trailing behind her was a tom; the spitting image of Owlkit.

"Hello, Ollie." She dipped her head. "This is Longwhisker."

"You better not have given them away, kittypet." Longwhisker hissed. "I'll claw you to shreds."

"Of course not." Ollie blinked at him. "All went well, I take it?"

"Yes, yes." Fernwillow meowed impatiently. "Can you please go get them? They need to come home; to ThunderClan."

He dipped his head and went inside his den, returning with the kits. They immediately curled up against the warriors, breathing in the familiar scent of their territory.

"Can Ollie come with us?" Littlekit asked Longwhisker innocently as he picked her up by the scruff. "He's not a kittypet; he's a Clan cat. I know he is."

The two cats stared at him. Ollie flinched away. "It's almost Leaf-bare. I'd hate to be an extra mouth to feed." He stammered. A longing for the forest struck his heart, but he shook it away. "I'm not much of a warrior."

Fernwillow's eyes narrowed, examining him. Finally, she meowed. "We'll see."

* * *

A few days later another cat appeared outside his den. A dark brown, broad-shouldered tom with amber eyes. He sat just outside the Twoleg fence, carefully not crossing the scent markers.

"Hello." He called.

"Uh, hi." Ollie opened his mouth to taste the air, but he couldn't smell anything discernible. The tom had hidden his scent well.

"I mean you no harm, I promise." He continued, tail twitching. "I just want a friend to hunt with. I'm a rogue, you see, and it's lonely sometimes. I could use some company."

Ollie eyed him. The broad shoulders and big paws screamed ThunderClan.

 _Is this some sort of test?_

He slowly dipped his head. "Okay. I don't see why not."

 **Author's Note: You may recognize who this is, seeing how he's one of the few canon cats in this story. =)**

 **Also, I've decided the flashback will be three chapters from now. Just a warning.**

 **-Mandaree1**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!**

 **Title: A Brittle New Path**

 **Summary: Ollie, a disgraced ShadowClan cat, finds himself deep in ThunderClan territory when he saves a queen and her kits by accident. But with war on the horizon, can he find his place in the Clan? A lover, not a fighter, he's always had trouble understanding the more violent attitudes of his Clanmates, and his training as a warrior has only made him more wary. It won't be an easy road.**

 **...**

"I should warn you; I'm not a very good hunter." Ollie glanced over his shoulder to his quickly disappearing Twoleg nest. _I hope Splotches doesn't come by while I'm gone. She'll get worried._

The tom twitched an ear dismissively. "That's fine. I hear there's easy hunting this way." He veered precariously towards the trees that guarded ShadowClan's territory.

Ollie bristled and leapt in front of him. "Let's go somewhere else."

His whiskers were twitching. "Why?"

His eyes narrowed. Was that _approval_ he heard in the tom's meow? _I_ am _being tested?_ He snarled inwardly. "Cats live there." He stated slowly. "And I don't like getting in other cat's business."

The tom shrugged and padded away, his voice cheerful. "Suit yourself."

They walked side by side, for a time. Neither of them spoke. Ollie's pelt prickled anxiously. If this was a test, then what for? To join ThunderClan? Surely, with Leaf-bare fast approaching, no Clan could possibly want a fat kittypet like him?

"I've heard those forest cats call themselves 'Clan' cats." He hummed eventually. "Have _you_ ever spoken to a Clan cat?"

 _He's testing my honesty._ "Yes." He answered flatly. "I have."

"Really? What about?"

 _...But he also wants to make sure I can keep my mouth shut._ "Oh, just kittypet things. They were curious about what it was like to have a Twoleg look after me."

He nodded. "I see."

 _Did he not notice my Clan terms? Or is he brushing it off?_ "What about you?" He asked suddenly. "Have _you_ ever been around Clan cats?"

The tom narrowed his eyes, examining him. "Yes." He replied gruffly. "More than once."

 _Now you know how I feel_!, he thought viciously. Ollie hated being tested. It made him feel like the ground could come up and swallow him whole, should he be wrong. He was fairly certain that was part of the reason why he'd been the last of his littermates (Ratbite counted as a littermate, despite coming from a different queen) to receive his warrior name.

 _And I wish I hadn't._ "Interesting. They must be rather curious."

"Perhaps." The tom replied briskly, and picked up his pace.

The brown tom caught a mouse and a bird. Ollie came back with a tiny shrew.

He examined the pitiful piece of prey passively. "Bad luck?"

"Bad hunter." He grumbled. He'd almost caught something bigger, but wanted to give a test of his own. _He'd be mouse-brained to want me now_. "I can catch prey; I just take longer."

He surprised himself. _Why did I say that? I need to stay with my Twoleg, where I belong!_

The tom nodded. "Would you like to hunt again, sometime? I really enjoyed your company."

Ollie found himself nodding. He couldn't help himself. He longed for the freedom to hunt when he pleased once again. "If I wouldn't be much of a bother."

* * *

The so-called rogue didn't reappear for a few days. He was expecting this. A warrior must be busy caring for his Clan, after all.

His belly felt hollow. _I miss taking care of cats_. Memories of bringing Moltedwing and Coldwind prey and checking their moss for burrs surfaced. He shook them away.

 _They hate me now. All of ShadowClan does. And I don't blame them. I hate me, too._

"Hey, Ollie!" A voice called as he slunk out of the flap that night. The tom was sitting on the fence. "Ready for a hunt?"

He was getting braver. Ollie's tail twitched. _I never told him my name!_ "Sure."

"Is something wrong?" The tom asked, after they'd found an open field to hunt in. "You seem antsy."

"I'm fine." He ducked away, returning with a scrawny mouse moments later. It was so old, it hadn't even glanced up when he'd come thundering towards it.

"Nice catch." He complimented.

Ollie set it at his paws. "Here. Give it to your elders."

Surprise- and was that delight?- sparked in his eyes, but he didn't voice it. "I'm a rogue."

"A rogue with ThunderClan build?" He snarled. "You may be able to hide your scent, but your blood gives you away." Ollie turned and padded away. "I'm done being tested. If Fernwillow sent you, tell her I'm fine."

The tom darted across the grass to block his way. "I sent myself." He admitted. "I wanted to meet the cat who gave our kits shelter while we were away at battle."

Ollie wasn't impressed. "Won't your leader be unhappy if they find out?"

"Perhaps they would be." He straightened. "Provided, however, I _am_ the leader."

Ollie's heart stopped. He crouched down, fur fluffing out with fear, eyes wide. He wasn't shocked, per say, but he wasn't held under the warrior code here, and he'd just insulted a cat with up to nine lives. _So, this is how I die._ He thought ironically. _With a collar around my neck._

He settled back on his haunches and wrapped his tail around his paws. "It's okay, Ollie. I understand how you must feel. I'm Bramblestar."

He hesitantly sat up. "Shouldn't you be with your Clan? Especially so soon after a battle?" The leader of ThunderClan wasn't considering _actually_ going rogue, was he?

"Yes. But I wanted to get to know you." He brought a paw up to lick. "We could always use new warriors, and you sounded like the type of cat who might be one."

He bristled. "I'm a kittypet."

"Not by birth." Bramblestar rumbled, whiskers twitching. "A little kit told me you were once a brave ShadowClan warrior."

 _Littlekit! Or maybe Windkit?_ He bowed his head. "I was."

"What happened, Ollie?" Bramblestar tilted his head to the side, voice gentle. "Why aren't you home?"

All at once, memories swamped him. Lightening; rain pouring down; the fishy smell of RiverClan. A sickening thud.

 _"Bigfire!"_

Ollie flinched as though clawed. "I'm a coward. I can't fight, and I can't hunt, and I'm not good enough at memorizing things to be a medicine cat. You don't want me, Bramblestar. I'll just hold ThunderClan down."

"Somehow," He purred. "I doubt it."

He shook his pelt out. "I can never go back to ShadowClan. I'll just cause you trouble if I went to ThunderClan."

"But your heart sings for the forest. You're so much more _alive_ out here, Ollie. Won't you at least give it a try?"

He let out a slow sigh. _It won't work out. He'll send you packing before Greenleaf. Don't get your hopes up._ "Okay."

 **Author's Note: We're finally starting to break away from the Twolegplace! Any headcanons anyone would like to share? I'm curious to see what people think of Ollie and his life as Brittlepaw.**

 **-Mandaree1**


End file.
